ALLEN GROVES CAUGHT IN BARNSTAPLE: BOY IN BED CLAIMS HE'S NEARLY LEGAL

In July 2012, authorities in Barnstaple responded to a concerning incident involving a teenage boy and a young man named Allen Groves. The incident unfolded after the boy, who was only 14 years old at the time, was reported missing by his grandmother. She had last seen him at her residence in Barnstaple before he disappeared without explanation.

Two days after the report, police managed to locate the boy at a bedsit in Barnstaple where Groves was residing on Fort Street. When officers arrived, they found the boy in his underwear, lying in a single bed, dressed only in underwear and a shirt. Groves was present in the same room, dressed in boxer shorts and a T-shirt. According to Groves, he had been sitting outside the bed while the boy was inside, but the teenager later told police that they had been kissing. The situation raised immediate concerns about the nature of their relationship.

During questioning, Groves admitted to having engaged in sexual activity with the boy, which constituted a serious offence. However, the more severe charge of child abduction was ultimately dropped by the prosecution. Groves, who was living at the time in Barnstaple, was taken into custody and later released on bail. His bail conditions included a ban on any contact with the boy and a requirement to sign the sex offenders register. He was also given a court order to reside at an address in Clovelly Road, Bideford.

Prosecutor Richard Crabb provided details of the case, explaining that the boy, now aged 15, was reported missing in February. Police traced him to Groves’ bedsit two days after the report. Crabb recounted that when police arrived, Groves answered the door dressed in boxer shorts and a T-shirt, and the boy was found in his bed, also wearing boxers and a T-shirt. Groves initially denied any sexual activity, claiming they had not been in bed together and that he had been outside while the boy was inside. He insisted that the boy was no longer his boyfriend and claimed they had met by chance that day, with Groves offering him shelter to prevent him from sleeping rough. The boy, however, told police that he had been Groves’ boyfriend and that they had shared kisses, but denied any further intimacy. He also made a disturbing remark, saying, “I’m nearly 16. What’s the point? I’m getting all this trouble when I’m nearly legal.”

Defense lawyer David Evans highlighted that Groves had already been detained since February on remand for a more serious charge that was later dropped. He argued that Groves had served a period longer than the typical sentence for the charge he admitted and requested that his client be released on bail so he could undergo assessment by the probation service in North Devon. The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports at Exeter Crown Court, where the court would determine the appropriate course of action based on the findings.